VALIDATION.md

Validate Nested DataObjects

Version 2.0 and upward

Note: The old Czim\DataObject\Validation\Traits\ValidateAsDataObjectTrait has been removed in version 2.0.0.

A custom validator class has been added: Czim\DataObject\Validation\CustomValidation.

This uses simple extended validation rules and may be reused if you want.

Version 1.4 and below

Czim\DataObject\Validation\Traits\ValidateAsDataObjectTrait

Allows the use of the dataobject validation rule to have nested data object validation.

Example:

// ... in \YourNameSpace\FirstDataObject
protected $rules = [
    'some_key' => 'dataobject:\YourNameSpace\SecondDataObject', 
];

// ... in \YourNameSpace\SecondDataObject
protected $rules = [
    'present' => 'required|string',
];


// Now if you validate as follows, it will fail

$data = new \YourNameSpace\FirstDataObject([
    'some_key' => [
        'present' => 123,
    ],
]);

// The messages() would then have two messages
//
// 1. for 'some_key.present': 'The present must be a string.'
// 2. for 'some_key':         'validation.dataobject'
//    (for which you can configure translations as normal)

// Note that it would also fail if the value for 'some_key'
// is a not an array or Arrayable:

// returns false
(new \YourNameSpace\FirstDataObject([
    'some_key' => 'some string',
]))->validate();

// returns true
(new \YourNameSpace\FirstDataObject([
    'some_key' => [ 'present' => 'proper string' ],
]))->validate();


// Though it would allow the value to already be a data object

// returns true
(new \YourNameSpace\FirstDataObject([
    'some_key' => (new \YourNameSpace\SecondDataObject([
        'present' => 'proper string',
    ])),
]))->validate();

Version 1.0 and older

Validate Arrays

Note: this trait was made redundant by Laravel 5.2's new validation rule support for nested arrays.

Czim\DataObject\Validation\Traits\ValidateArraysTrait

Allows the use of the each validation rule for more detailed array validation.

Example:

// ... in \YourNameSpace\FirstDataObject
protected $rules = [
    'some_list' => 'array|min:1|each:string|each:max,10', 
];

// this would only pass validation if some_list
// - would be an array,
// - would contain at least 1 entry,
// - and each entry in it would be a string of 10 characters at most

Mainly added because it is so commonly useful, and this allows for easier installation in some cases. Plus I do not see how it could hurt.

Validation Messages

The nested DataObject validation adds a standard translatable validation message for when anything in a nested DataObject validation fails for a given (parent) attribute key. You may add translations for this as follows:

In resources/lang/en/validation.php (or any other relevant language path), add:

    'dataobject' => 'The :attribute contains invalid data.',

Replacement values available are :dataobject, for the fully qualified namespace of the DataObject validated against, and :friendlydataobject which only shows the class name.